Electric signaling apparatus



No. 750,269. PATENTED JAN. 26, 1904 W. E. DEOROW.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

A?PLIUATION FILED JUNE 17. 190 1. A

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w wal /1A v A IN I I BAWAQ 2 UNITED STATES Patented January 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. DECROVV, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GAMEWELL FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NElV YORK.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,269, dated January 26, 1904. Application filed June 17, 1991. Serial No. 64,317. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it kn own that I, WILLIAM E. DECROW, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Signaling Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to police-signal systems having signal-transmitting devices at the substations and signalreceiving devices at the central station and also having means for carrying on telephonic communication between any of the substations and the central station; and the invention has for its object to provide an improved form of signal-transmitting device at the central station adapted to transmit a signal from said station to any one of the substations (usually boxes) and utilize devices now employed at the substations or boxes for receiving said signals, there by obviating the necessity of employing speclal receiving devices at the substations, as is now common.

The invention also has for its object to construct and arrange the parts whereby the signals transmitted from the central station to the substations may be employed for the purpose of instructing the officer at the box to use the telephone, or as an answer-back signal to indicate to the officer at the box that his signal has been received, or for any other purpose.

My invention consists, essentially, in providing an electromagnetically-operated buzzer at the central or receiving station and means for connecting it in circuit with one ofthe coils of the induction-coil of the telephonic equipment at said station, so that whenever operated a rapid succession of impulses will be transmitted, which will be received on the telephonic receiver of any box which may be connected in circuit, and thus adapted to receive them. Said buzzer consists, essentially, of an electromagnet and a rapidly-vibrating arm or lever and is herein employed as the signal-transmitting device at the central station. The means employed for connecting it in circuit with the induction-coil may be operated manually or by a train-controlled circuit-operating device, thus adapting it for use for different purposes under different conditions.

The drawing shows in diagram an electric signaling system embodying this invention, the circuit being illustrated as normally open merely for the sake of illustrating the invention; but I wish it to be understood that I do not limit my invention to its use with an opencircuit system, as it is evident that the invention may be used with a closed-circuit system without departing from its spirit and scope.

A represents the main battery at the signalreceiving station, and from its opposite poles lead two main circuit-wires a 6. 0 represents a signal-receiving relay the coils of which are included in circuit with the battery A, and its armature c, which is normally retracted, operates a local circuit (Z, including a battery cl and also the starting-magnet 0Z and pen-magnet 03 of a register of any usual or suitable construction. These parts, as herein shown, constitute the signal-receiving apparatus, yet so far as my invention is concerned any other suitable form or construction of signal-receiving apparatus may be employed.

The signal-transmitter contained in the box consists of a train (not shown) and one or more box number circuit operating devices, a1 though one only is herein shown for the sake of clearness.

The box-number circuit-operating device as herein shown consists of a wheel 6, provided with projections adapted to move the contactpen 0 into engagement with the contact-pen e, to thereby close the circuit. The contactpen-e is connected by a wire 6 with one of the main circuitwiresas a, for instanceand the contact-pen e is connected by a wire e" to a wire 6 which is connected to theother main circuit-wire, as Z), so that said box-number circuit-operating device is connected in multiple arc between said maincircuit-wires. The connecting-wire c e 0 as herein shown, is also normally open at other points than at the box-number circuit-operating device and is adapted to be closed at said other points by opens said shunt-circuit.

suitable switches f f 1' and g g, provided for the purpose. The switch f f f is designed to be operated by the train, and the switch 9 g is designed to be operated by the door g of the box.

At the signal-receiving station a complete telephonic equipment is provided for carrying on telephonic communication with any one of the boxes, and,as herein shown, said telephonic equipment comprises, essentially, the transmitter n, receiver n, gravity switch-arm n for said receiver, and induction-coil n one of the coils of which is included in the local-battery circuit at, and the usual circuits for said telephonic equipment are adapted to be connected by the switch of with the wires a n one of which leads to the main circuit-wheat and the other to the main circuit-wire 7), so that said telephonic equipment is connected in multiple arc with said main circuit-wires. The switch n is adapted to be operated manually whenever desired. At each box a corresponding telephonic equipment is provided, comprising, essentially, a transmitter on, receiver on, gravity switcl1-armm and induction-coil m one of the coils of which is included in the local-battery circuit m, and the circuit-wire on, including said telephonic equipment, is connected at p to the wire 6 and at p to the wire e so that said telephonic equipment is connected to the connecting-wire e e e in parallel with the box-number signal-transmitter, and being thus connected it will be seen that the switch g g, which is operated by the boxdoor, will control the circuit. Whenever the box-door is open the switch 9 will be closed and the telephonic equipment will be connected in circuit, so that the receiver 177/ is responsive, although the telephonic transmitter m will not be operative until the gravity switcharm m has closed the local circuit 177, hence the necessity of the switch g g. By arranging the circuit-wires of the telephonic equipment at the box in this manner it will be seen that the telephonic receiver m is capable of responding at all times whenever the door of the box is open, and it will also be seen that should said connecting-wire c e e be normally closed said telephonic receiver on would even then be capable of response.

At the signal-receiving station a buzzer is provided, which is a device well known in the art and consists, essentially, of an electromagnet 0 and vibrating armature lever 0, and said electromagnet 0 is included in the circuit- Wire 0" and the armature-lever 0 is also connected with said circuit-wire 0 so that whenever the armature is attracted a shunt will be closed around the electromagnet 0, by which it is demagnetized sufiiciently to allow the armature to retract, and when it retracts it A vibratory action is thus produced whenever the circuit-wire 0 is connected with a battery. As herein shown, said circuit-wire 0 is connected at 0 and 0 to the local-battery circuit a and contains a normally open switch 0 and whenever said switch 0 is closed the battery will be operated. The switch 0 is adapted to be closed by the bar of the switch 01. whenever said bar is pressed inward sufficiently, although said bar may be pressed inward sufficiently to close said switch n without operating said switch 0 The circuit 0 of the buzzer is thus connected with one of the coils of the induction-coil M, and whenever said buzzer is operated the telephonic receiver m at the box will respond,

and, as before stated, said telephonic receiver being connected in circuit whenever the boxdoor is open,-it will be seen that a signal may thus be sent from the receiving-station to the box at such time. This signal may be employed for the purpose of notifying the officer at the box to immediately use his telephone or it may be employed for any other purpose.

In police-signal systems it is essential to provide an automatic answer-back call, and the buzzer may be connected in circuit to be operated automatically, if desired, for the purpose of giving said automatic answer-back call. To accomplish this result, circuit-wires 0 0 may lead from the circuit 0 which will include a switch 0 adapted to be operated manually, and also will include a suitable circuit-operating device, which, as herein shown, consists of a toothed wheel 0, secured to one of the shafts of the register, and a pair of contact-pens 0 0, operated by it, and whenever said register is operated a call indicative of the toothed wheel will be sent from the buzzer to the telephonic receiver m.

A condenser t is included in the circuit of the telephonic equipment at the receiving-station and also at each box in order that the box-number signals may be transmitted without causing the telephonic receivers to respond, such provision, however, being well known in the art.

I claim 1. In an electric signal system, the combination of a circuit, signal-transmitting devices for operating said circuit, signal-receiving apparatus operated by said circuit, telephonic instruments and a condenser connected with said circuit'at the signal-transmitting stations and also at the signal-receiving station, an electromagnetically-operated buzzer at the signal-receiving station, and means for connecting it in circuit with one of the coils of the induction-coil of the telephonic equipment, and a switch operated by the box-door at each signal transmitting station for including the telephonic receiver thereat, substantially as described.

2. In an electric signal system, the combination of a circuit, signal-transmitting devices for operating said circuit, signal-receiving apparatus operated by said circuit, telephonic instruments and a condenser connected with said circuit at the signal-transmitting stations and also at the signal-receiving station, an electromagnetically-operated buzzer at the signal-receiving station, and means for connecting it in circuit with one of the coils of the induction coil of the telephonic equipment, and a switch operated by the signalingtrain at each signal-transmitting station for including the telephonic receiver thereat, substantially as described.

3. In an electric signal system, the combination of a signaling-circuit, signal -trans mitting devices for operating said circuit, signal-receiving apparatus operated by said circuit, telephonic instruments and a condenser connected With said circuit at the signal-transmitting stations and also at the signal-receiving station, an electromagnetically-operated buzzer at the signal-receiving station, a cir- WILLIAM E. DECROWV.

Witnesses:

B. J. NOYES, H. B. DAVIS. 

